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BENEATH THE MASK: REVENGE OF SAMUEL HAYES 94
The Brook family’s fortress-like estate loomed in the distance, its high walls and armed guards a reminder of the power they wielded. But tonight, power meant nothing. Not when Samuel was already inside.He crouched behind a stone pillar, watching as the guards patrolled the upper balcony. His earpiece crackled softly as Sophia’s voice came through.“You’re clear to move.”With silent precision, Samuel slipped forward, his black attire blending into the shadows. He reached the service entrance, the lock already disabled by Victor’s earlier hacking.Sophia’s voice came again. “Damian’s in his office. Third floor.”Samuel smirked. “Time to pay him a visit.”He moved swiftly through the corridors, his footsteps ghost-like against the marble flooring. The Brook estate was lavish—gold-trimmed walls, crystal chandeliers, priceless paintings. It reeked of old money and corruption.At the grand staircase, two guards stood watch. Samuel didn’t hesitate. He moved fast—one punch to the throat, t
BENEATH THE MASK: REVENGE OF SAMUEL HAYES 95
The city skyline blurred past as Samuel stared out the window, his mind racing with possibilities. The Brook estate was in flames, but Damian wasn’t dead. That meant the fight wasn’t over—far from it.Sophia sat beside him, reloading her gun with sharp, calculated movements. She hadn’t said much since their escape, but Samuel knew her well enough to sense her frustration.Lucas, in the driver’s seat, glanced at them through the rearview mirror. “We need a plan. Blowing up their estate isn’t going to stop them.”Samuel leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “No. But it’s going to slow them down. They’ll be too busy cleaning up their mess to retaliate immediately.”Sophia finally spoke. “That gives us time to hit them where it really hurts—their money.”Lucas whistled. “You want to go after their finances? That’s bold.”Samuel smirked. “Desperate men make mistakes. If we drain their resources, Damian will get reckless.”Lucas nodded. “I can have my people dig into their accoun
BENEATH THE MASK: REVENGE OF SAMUEL HAYES 96
The industrial district loomed ahead, a collection of abandoned factories and crumbling warehouses. The streets were mostly empty, save for the occasional flickering streetlamp casting eerie shadows.Samuel kept his gun at his side, eyes scanning the area as they approached the warehouse Marissa had described. The vault was hidden inside, buried beneath layers of security that only she could bypass.Lucas pulled the car into a secluded alley, shutting off the engine. “This place gives me bad vibes,” he muttered.Sophia checked her gun. “Everything gives you bad vibes.”Marissa sat in the back seat, her fingers gripping the edge of her coat. “We don’t have much time. Damian’s men could already be here.”Samuel turned to her. “Are you sure the files are still inside?”She nodded. “I checked the system remotely before we left. No one has accessed it yet, but that won’t last.”Samuel looked at Lucas and Sophia. “We move in quiet. No unnecessary risks.”Lucas smirked. “Define unnecessary.”
BENEATH THE MASK: REVENGE OF SAMUEL HAYES 97
The documents they had retrieved from the vault sat in the back seat, secured in a steel case that Marissa clutched tightly. The information inside was enough to bring Damian and The Syndicate crumbling down—but it also made them the biggest targets in the city.“We can’t go back to the safe house,” Sophia said, reloading her gun as she kept her eyes on the road behind them. “They’ll be expecting us.”Samuel nodded, gripping the steering wheel tightly. “We need a new location. Somewhere secure.”Lucas, sitting in the passenger seat, smirked. “I might know a place.”Samuel shot him a skeptical glance. “If it’s one of your old gambling hideouts, I swear—”“Relax,” Lucas said, holding up his hands. “It’s a penthouse. High security, private access. I haven’t used it in years, but it should still be off the grid.”Marissa finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. “Do you trust it?”Lucas shrugged. “I trust that nobody else knows about it. That’s good enough, right?”Samuel exchanged
BENEATH THE MASK: REVENGE OF SAMUEL HAYES 98
Lucas leaned back in his seat, arms crossed. “So, what’s the plan? Because I gotta tell you, running around like fugitives isn’t my idea of a good time.”Sophia shot him a glare. “Would you rather stay back and let Damian’s men carve you up?”Lucas smirked. “Not particularly. But I do like having a say in how we handle things.”Samuel’s grip on the wheel tightened. “We’re not running. We’re regrouping.”Marissa was in the backseat, typing furiously on her laptop despite the bumpy ride. “I need time to decrypt the rest of the files. There’s more there, but it’s heavily protected.”Samuel nodded. “Find out everything you can about the Brooks’ involvement. If they’re working with Damian, we need to know why.”Sophia turned to Samuel. “We need a safe place to lay low. Somewhere even Lucas’s ‘hidden’ penthouses won’t cut it.”Lucas held a hand to his chest, feigning offense. “You wound me.”Samuel ignored him. “I know a place.”He took a sharp turn onto an older highway leading out of the
BENEATH THE MASK: REVENGE OF SAMUEL HAYES 99
The storm outside raged on, thunder shaking the walls of Vincent’s mansion. The atmosphere inside the study was equally tense as everyone processed the new information. Damian wasn’t just a criminal mastermind—he was playing with science, with power beyond their comprehension.Marissa broke the silence. “If this gets out, the whole world will know what he’s been doing. No one will protect him.”Vincent exhaled, leaning against the desk. “You think it’s that easy? Damian’s spent years covering his tracks. The people funding his experiments are just as guilty as he is. They won’t let him fall without a fight.”Samuel tapped his fingers on the table. “Then we make sure they have no choice. We leak the right information to the right people—people who can’t be bought.”Sophia crossed her arms. “You’re talking about the Global Intelligence Bureau, aren’t you?”Vincent scoffed. “GIB has its own problems. Half of them are on Damian’s payroll.”Lucas smirked. “But the other half aren’t. We jus
BENEATH THE MASK: REVENGE OF SAMUEL HAYES 100
.Sophia frantically tapped on her tablet, trying to override the system. “Damn it! The security locks have engaged. He knew we were coming.”Vincent exhaled sharply. “Well, this just got interesting.”Samuel ignored their back-and-forth. His attention was on the speakers overhead. Damian’s voice had been cold, calculated. That meant he wasn’t just toying with them—he had something planned.“You didn’t really think I’d let you waltz in here and take what’s mine, did you?” Damian’s voice was smooth with amusement. “I was hoping you’d show up, Samuel. You and your little rebellion.”Samuel’s jaw clenched. “We’re getting out of here, with or without your permission.”A chuckle. “Oh, I don’t doubt that you’ll try. But you should know… the subjects in this room? They’re not just experiments. They’re my masterpieces. And they don’t take kindly to being disturbed.”A chilling hiss filled the air. The chambers around them flickered, and the liquid inside began to drain.Sophia’s eyes widened i
BENEATH THE MASK: REVENGE OF SAMUEL HAYES 101
Samuel forced himself to stay calm. His instincts screamed at him to move, to fight, but there was nothing to fight against—only the suffocating abyss that had replaced the corridor. He could hear Vincent’s breath hitch beside him, sharp and ragged, and Sophia’s fingers tapping against her tablet in frantic desperation.A voice cut through the void—smooth, controlled. Damian.“You’ve always thought of me as the villain, Samuel. But have you ever considered that maybe I’m the only one who truly understands what’s coming?”Samuel tightened his grip on his gun. He couldn’t see Damian, but he could feel him, lurking somewhere in the oppressive darkness. “Spare me the speech. If you think you’re some kind of savior, you’re delusional.”A soft chuckle. “You always were short-sighted. Do you even know what you’re fighting against?”The air shifted. The darkness twisted, swirling around them like a living entity. Then, suddenly, it pulled back. Light flickered into existence—not the sterile g
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\The road to the Vale of Remnants wasn’t marked on any map. It was hidden, buried beneath centuries of secrecy and natural camouflage. Eli had given them a tattered scroll, ink faded but still legible, containing coordinates only someone with the sigil could decipher. As they left the last paved road behind, the air grew heavier, laced with static. Trees loomed taller here, their twisted trunks like sentinels watching every move.Samuel sat in the backseat, staring out at the encroaching forest, his mind reeling. The Mark of Ascendance pulsed under his sleeve with quiet insistence, as if reacting to their proximity to the boundary. Every time he blinked, he saw that throne again—ancient and immense, its surface etched with glowing veins of light and shadow.Joey drove in tense silence. He had stopped cracking jokes two hours ago, when the GPS died and the radio began spitting out bursts of static mixed with those same whispered voices Samuel had been hearing. Sarah sat beside him, ey
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The handshake lingered longer than it should have, and when Marcus finally let go, Samuel wiped his hand on his coat, as if trying to rid himself of something foul. The warehouse hit had gone clean, precise, but that didn’t matter now. Callahan’s warning refused to quiet in Samuel’s head. The real players—the ones who truly run this city—are still out there.Back at the safe house, the atmosphere was no warmer than when they had left. Olivia was asleep on the couch, her breathing shallow but even. Rafael stood by the window, watching the street, while Evelyn leaned against the wall, arms crossed, the lines of tension etched deeper into her face.“You okay?” Samuel asked, stepping beside her.She didn’t answer at first. Then, quietly, “We just shot a man in cold blood, and I don’t feel a thing. That’s not normal.”Samuel glanced at her. “Normal left the building a long time ago.”Rafael spoke up. “We’ve stirred something up. Marcus might be useful, but he’s no ally. He plays sides, not
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'Hey, how about now? I am hungry'.There really was no other choice but to send a message to Gelael and go out with him. I couldn't possibly have to whine to Adrian, he might get really angry with me, because earlier he had offered to buy food straight away.Luckily, in no more than five minutes, Gelael arrived. I immediately got down and opened Gelael's car door when I saw that he had come with his friend. I immediately closed the front door and moved to the back. Unlucky! It's really embarrassing."Eh, sorry Emma, I forgot to tell you that I invited my brother, his name is Bon," said Gelael, Bon then extended his hand towards me."Emma," I said, shaking Bon's hand."Where are you going, sis?" Bon asked Gelael."Whatever, just a place to eat, a relaxed cafe, something delicious, if possible with live music," said Gelael.I sent a message to Gelael.'Why didn't you say that you would invite your brother, I was embarrassed because I suddenly opened the front door''Why should you be em
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"Why did you bring your brother? That's really cool," I asked."He was the one who wanted to come, he said he was bored at home, lazy about being told by his older brother, so I just invited him, do you feel bothered?" Gelael asked back."No, it's up to you, whoever you want to invite," I answered.Gelael smiled, he kept looking at me, I became uncomfortable."What now?" I asked Gelael."Nothing, I'm just happy to see you again, forgive all my stupidity yesterday, I think I was possessed by the ghost of a woman, that's why I acted so annoyingly," said Gelael."There's no need to discuss it any further, just assume that if you're crazy, I understand," I said.Gelael laughed, he looked back at me while supporting his chin. A very annoying pose for me, I ignored it and immediately played with my cellphone.Adrian sent photos of the food being served at Sandra's house, lots of it. It looked like they were having a luxurious party, Sandra was also seen smiling holding a lobster. I'm gratef
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“Why, just because I said something wrong earlier? "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, don't be angry like this, we can discuss other things that are more interesting," replied Gelael."What else can I discuss with you?" I asked."What, I don't know either, there are many things I could tell you but you won't hear them, you understand what I mean," said Gelael, he looked at me sharply."Yeah, thank you, I don't want to hear it one bit," I answered.Gelael raised his eyebrows, he then opened his cellphone. Likewise with me. I also kept myself busy by opening my cellphone.I looked around, people seemed to be chatting with each other, sharing stories, laughing, and making memorable memories. Meanwhile we were both just busy with our own affairs. There are no more words, no more stories that we can talk about, it's all over.Likewise with this relationship, it should be completely over, it cannot be forced. Between the two of us we still have wounds and hopes, I have wounds that have not yet h
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Adrian sat on the sofa in front of the television, leaned his head against the sofa cushion, he closed his eyes, from his expression I could tell that Adrian felt very tired and depressed."Sandra apologized to me earlier, she told me about how all this could happen, I was very touched," said Adrian, still with the same expression."That's all he said?" I asked.Adrian opened his eyes, he squinted at me."What else did he tell you? Is there anything else?” Adrian asked me with a confused and curious face."Yes, she told me how she broke up with Hudson, and how all this madness started," I answered, I sat next to Adrian.“Hudson? What did he tell you? "He just said that, all of this has nothing to do with me, all the mistakes that exist are proof that he was guilty and negligent, he was just being hit by anxiety and worry about his life, so he finally chose a shortcut to calm himself down," said Adrian."I don't want to talk about this problem because it is Sandra's personal matter, bu
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"Whoever is stressed, it seems like he is talking about himself," I said quietly. I then closed the door and locked it.What should I do now, it was still very early, I looked in the refrigerator, there was some ice cream that I hadn't eaten. Because I was hungry, I decided to cook instant noodles.After a few minutes, the instant noodles I made were ready and I brought them in front of the television. I turned on the television and ate the noodles I made. It's really delicious.Days like this are sometimes very enjoyable, maybe you know what I mean, I haven't lived a normal life like someone without problems for a long time, so this sometimes becomes an interesting habit.Gelael sent me a message saying good morning, I ignored it. I've really decided to keep my distance from Gelael, I don't want to have to play with everything at my young age all the time.By the way, it's December 28th, it's great that Adrian is still working at the end of the year, what a busy businessman. Sometime
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We arrived at the mall where Gelael and I met again for the first time after we separated."Let's just go straight to the salon, okay? My head feels very heavy," said Sandra, she then took my hand and we started walking along the mall."So how did that happen, I really can't comment reading what you just showed me, I'm very happy," I said, Sandra's smile couldn't hide her feelings which were also very happy."Why did I ask Adrian to come home last night? Because I really opened my mind, I apologized to Adrian and asked him not to think about all the things I did, I thought there were things I had to finish before it was too late. So after Adrian came home, I immediately called Tommy and talked to him. Including my meeting with Adrian, Hudson and what just happened, maybe we talked for almost three hours, I have become relieved and open since telling you, so I am really grateful that because of you I can have the courage to admit those things. At first I was hesitant to call Tommy, but
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The safe house felt colder than usual. The air was thick with tension, the kind that settled in your bones and refused to let go. Samuel sat in the corner of the dimly lit room, his fingers lightly tapping against his knee. Evelyn was across from him, tending to Olivia, who lay on the couch with a blanket wrapped around her.Damon paced near the window, his agitation barely contained. “This doesn’t feel like a win,” he muttered. “We took out Vincent, got Olivia back, but something feels... off.”Samuel knew exactly what he meant. The words of the dying man at the warehouse still echoed in his mind. There are worse monsters coming.“We don’t have time to celebrate,” Samuel said finally. “Vincent may be dead, but that doesn’t mean we’re safe. Power like his doesn’t just disappear—it shifts.”Evelyn looked up, her expression tired but determined. “Then we make sure no one else takes it.”Damon scoffed. “That’s a nice thought, but how? We’re just four people against an entire city of crim
